Conceptions of state-building ( whatever name it goes by at a given point in time ) must simultaneously take into account how wide the gulf may be between Westphalian ideals and local conceptions of polity and governance ; how the interposition of Westphalian ideals by intervening forces may be interpreted by locals ; and what alternatives can be elicited to match local ideals . 75
The fundamental trap is thinking that since we as interveners have an example in mind of what the result should look like , the process can be shortened by imposing a checklist and simply building the requisite institutions . A balance must be struck , recognizing that in situations where the reconstruction of government is necessary , time equals lives lost — speed is in fact of the essence — but shortcuts and technocratic fixes ultimately extend , rather than limit the losses .
Essentially , the lessons learned from past interventions urge a paradigm shift towards a view of process as product . This document is not intended to be a definitive map of how to achieve this . Rather it is intended in the same sense as the definitions of good governance above — as a basic set of points to guide further thought on that paradigm shift and suggest what governmental R & S policy and operations ( and by extension what military support to such ) would look like .
There are two important caveats : 1 . Beware of unintended meanings
Stability and effective government can seem necessary , but words like effective and stable can mask all manner of sins to local populations , and carry baggage
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